


a good butt

by nowayout



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, three cheers for the beauty that is the scorch trials press tour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-21 03:53:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4813961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowayout/pseuds/nowayout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Actually, he’s got a good butt.”</p><p>“He’s got a good butt.”</p><p>Dylan facepalms. </p><p>(or: five times Dylan accidentally compliments Thomas and one time Thomas does it too)</p>
            </blockquote>





	a good butt

**Author's Note:**

> Because [this](https://youtu.be/AJGp9pZzGds?t=4m40s) and [this](https://youtu.be/gFm0YuKzU2Y?t=26s) happened and I'm feeling too much right now.
> 
> Minor TST spoilers, nothing too revealing about the plot, I'm mostly just overanalyzing the boys' acting choices. But if you haven't seen the movie yet and reeeeeally don't want to be spoiled, not even a little, you might want to wait another couple days before reading this.

 

1.

It’s three thirty-nine in the morning when they’re going over the lines Thomas rewrote for their scene. Dylan has been half asleep for almost two hours now, the warmth of the cozy hotel room making him drowsy in a way that not even the longest shooting days can, but he feels himself awaken more and more as he reads the lines of dialogue, a giant excited grin taking over his face, sleepiness fading away.

 

He hasn’t really done anything to help, not yet, this is all Thomas’s work, but he’s so – so proud of Thomas, because he understands this, knows exactly what it’s like to be so passionate about a character, to want to delve as deep as possible into their mindset, to fully understand their motives, their reasoning, to make sure the portrayal stays consistent. And the beautiful thing about their characters is that, while they’re clearly different, they’re still similar enough to make their relationship a steady cause and effect bond that is both reassuring and complimentary. When Thomas’s “shoot first, ask questions later” approach threatens to get the best of him, Newt is there to calm him down until he’s being a bit more reasonable. When it actually does get them in trouble and Thomas starts losing himself in guilt, Newt is the one who reminds him they have yet to reach their goal, keeps him motivated. It’s just – it works. They work so well together, and Dylan has learned that he and Thomas do as well because they’re on the same wavelength when it comes to their characters.

 

And this scene – he knows it will be seen as one of those moments, knows it will give the fans something to scream about even louder than usual, and he’s more than okay with it. Earnest bonfire talks can be a Newt-and-Thomas thing.

 

He has no idea when he started nodding, but he’s definitely nodding now, still grinning so big that his cheeks hurt. “Man,” he says, stroking his chin absentmindedly, “man, this is so good. It’s – dude, yes, like, I totally get it, it’s so – it’s right, you know? It makes perfect sense, you know what I mean?”

 

Thomas’s happy laugh makes his dark eyes sparkle with amusement and the skin at the corners crinkles in a pattern that Dylan has memorized by now. “So – yeah?” he asks, sounding somewhat apprehensive, as though he isn’t entirely sure about this and maybe they should use the original lines instead.

 

“Totally, man,” Dylan promises enthusiastically. He’s nodding again, involuntarily, like he just can’t help it. “Dude, you’re – you’re brilliant.”

 

Thomas snorts and rolls his eyes playfully, but his boyish face lights up at the compliment. He slaps Dylan’s thigh and Dylan still can’t stop grinning.

 

 

2.

He’s freezing. They’re all freezing, but that’s beside the point, their characters are on the run, panicked and confused and a little angry. That’s what they’re supposed to pay attention to, not the chattering of their teeth.

 

Dylan takes a look at Kaya’s thin white top and almost starts shivering. God, he feels bad for her, they’re not even close to being done with this scene.

 

He does his best to sound calm as he explains what’s going on, and if his voice still trembles a little he supposes they could always blame that on nerves. Adrenaline. Running like hell from people with electroshock guns is bound to cause some stress.

 

When the focus shifts to him and Thomas, Dylan schools his features into a rather meek expression, feeling very much like he’s being scolded but also letting his frustration show in the way his mouth is set in a straight, tight line. And then Thomas does this – thing, and Dylan just –

 

It’s not like Dylan isn’t aware of how fucking talented Thomas is. That he’s one of the best out of all of them. But more often than not it’s still overwhelming to watch him become his character so completely, and sometimes all Dylan can do is stare like a dumbstruck teenager. Which is exactly what he’s doing right now, because Thomas – he gives Dylan this fierce, fiery look, and his voice goes a little higher, almost breaks, and Dylan can’t help thinking, _damn, he’s good_.

 

It dawns on him that he must have voiced his thoughts aloud only when everyone on set starts laughing.

 

Thomas covers his face with his hands and for a second Dylan wonders if he’s made him uncomfortable, thinks about apologizing until he notices that Thomas’s shoulders are shaking with silent laughter.

 

So instead he smirks and, loudly, says, “Well he is, isn’t he?” It isn’t really a question; it almost sounds like he’s daring anyone to contradict him, but the whole crew cheers and Dylan feels pretty pleased when Thomas punches him in the shoulder with a shy smile on his lips.

 

 

3.

Comic-Con is as amazing and crazy as it is every year and Dylan loves every second he gets to spend in the middle of it all. Technically, he’s there to work and promote the two projects that mean the most to him, but in fact he’s also there to yell _go Mets!_ every five minutes and to make everyone from co-stars to interviewers laugh, and he couldn’t be happier about it.

 

The downside is that such a huge event is also painfully exhausting even if he has two families to help him get through the whole thing, and he’s sure it’s impossible to miss how tired he is, especially on the second day. He can’t stop blinking or saying stupid shit, and it’s getting increasingly harder to control his mouth and his limbs. It’s still fun though, Giancarlo and Rosa play along with his dumb jokes because he’s been blessed once again with the coolest co-stars, and even Thomas encourages his insanity every now and then.

 

It’s great to see Thomas like this, Dylan thinks to himself, to see him loosen up and joke around. And Dylan is not going to take credit for _that_ , but, okay, maybe a tiny part of him feels sort of proud because he remembers how Thomas used to look at him like he was seeking – not approval, but support. Like he wasn’t sure that what he said came across the way it was supposed to or if it was funny at all, and he always needed to hear Dylan laugh before he even dared to smile.

 

But now he’s more confident and relaxed, teasing Dylan and Ki Hong at any given chance and making reporters laugh, happily accepting their genuine amusement with a cheeky little grin. They keep chuckling and making silly faces even when they take pictures, and the interviews are a bit of a mess, but everybody seems to be having a good time, exhaustion be damned.

 

At some point, when Thomas pulls himself together to give a professional, charming answer that has both Ki Hong and Dylan nodding along, Dylan’s mouth starts working without his permission again and he nudges Thomas before he can stop himself. “That was beautiful, perfect answer,” he tells Thomas quietly. And then, when he realizes he sounded a little too fond for it to pass off as a joke, he adds, “That should – that should be the interview.”

 

He makes another comment to get everyone to laugh and buries his head in his folded arms on the table because he knows he’ll say something really stupid and make an ass of himself if he looks at Thomas and sees how his eyes disappear when he laughs.

 

 

4.

It’s a touching scene. Dylan doesn’t want to say _special_ , but. It kind of is. To him, at least. He just – he likes it a lot. He watches his somber face on the screen and hopes that his character’s emotions will be as clear to anyone as they are to him right now, that his hopelessness is understandable, something the audience will be able to sympathize with.

 

Bringing in a note of positivity are Newt’s words, firm but compassionate at the same time, just what Thomas needed to hear to stop moping.

 

It’s a good scene.

 

Dylan raises his arm for a fist bump. “Well done, dude,” he says, grinning up at Thomas, who rolls his eyes but acquiesces and gently taps his fist against Dylan’s.

 

“You, too,” Thomas agrees with a pleased little smile before turning his gaze to the screen again, and Dylan realizes that he’s selfishly and inexplicably glad they have something that in a way is only theirs.

 

Which – is not the weirdest thing he’s ever felt, so it’s okay. Probably.

 

On his left, Ki Hong points to the screen where Thomas and Newt are still talking and says, “This. This is exactly why Kaya ships the two of you.”

 

The corners of Dylan’s mouth twitch helplessly. He bites his bottom lip to stop himself from laughing but doesn’t say anything.

 

In the end, the scene doesn’t make the final cut of the movie, and Dylan pouts only a little.

 

 

5.

“I thought it was some of the best stuff in the movie but I guess it kind of. I don’t know.” He tries not to sound too disappointed but. Whatever. He isn’t feeling that well yet, so he has an excuse this time. And why are they talking about deleted scenes already when the movie hasn’t even come out in most parts of the world yet?

 

The thing is he understands that that particular scene wasn’t, like, crucial or anything, but it was a nice moment and Wes seemed pretty fond of it too, so Dylan hopes it will make it onto the DVD at least. He talks a bit more about Thomas rewriting the lines because he has no self-control and he loves his co-stars, and why the hell not, really, the world should know how great Thomas is.

 

The interview derails quickly however, like all of his interviews do, and by the end he’s cackling so hard he has to clutch his stomach. He learns he’s not the only one who’s in a good mood when he finds Thomas and Ki Hong in the same lounge were they had been told to wait before the interviews started, and he’s greeted with laughter and Ki Hong telling him that “It’s all your fault, he wasn’t like this last year.”

 

“Um. Okay?” He has no idea what this is about, but he starts grinning anyway and throws himself onto the couch next to Thomas. “What’d I do this time?”

 

The only answer he gets is another round of laughter and Thomas putting an arm around his shoulders.

 

Dylan really doesn’t mind.

 

 

+1

 

He finds out what Ki Hong meant a few days later when he finally has a free moment to take a breath and watch some of the interviews.

 

“…His butt.”

 

“Actually, he’s got a good butt.”

 

“He’s got a good butt.”

 

Dylan facepalms. They’re both idiots. Ki Hong for starting it and Thomas for, uh. Meaning it?

 

Then he remembers his own answer about Thomas’s distinctive features and winces miserably. His cool lanky build, what the fuck was he thinking.

 

Still, he would argue that his answer was more. Appropriate. Or something like that. Because, seriously, when did those two – _why_ did they – who even says _that_?

 

He may or may not be panicking a little, so before he does something ridiculous, like crane his neck over his shoulder to check if Thomas and Ki Hong were right, he texts the only person he can talk to about delicate matters, including anything related to his rear.

 

_do i have a nice ass_

 

Posey’s reply comes two minutes later.

 

_course u do bro x_

 

Dylan grins at his phone and he’s absolutely sure he looks like an idiot, but he’s alone so he’s allowed to grin idiotically as much as he wants to.

 

_thx man u 2 :)_

 

He debates texting Thomas and Ki Hong for a minute or two, thinks about sending something like _u jealous_ or _took u long nuff 2 notice ;)_ but then he remembers he’s going to see them in less than 24 hours at the New York premiere and he knows that torturing them in person is going to be much more fun than doing it over texts.

 

He also does his best not to think about Thomas complimenting his eyes and mentioning his dimples because –

 

Yeah, no, he’s just not going to think about that.

 


End file.
